Reimagining How Congregations Connect With Their Donors

As November wends its way toward Thanksgiving I’m reading a thoughtful and timely book by Diana Butler Bass: Grateful: The Transformative Power of Giving Thanks.[i]She begins her book with this Fren...Read More

As October comes of age many congregations turn their attention to stewardship and their annual fundraising initiative for 2019. Is there any way to forecast whether pledging and giving will be up or ...Read More

Canoeing the Mountains: Christian Leadership in Uncharted Territory by my friend Todd Bolsinger is a must read for congregational leaders. The tongue in cheek title reflects the dilemma the pioneers L...Read More

Some years ago a report titled Donors of the Future – 12 Key Trends identified “racial and ethnic diversity” as the number one trend reshaping the giving landscape.[i]The prescience of that find...Read More

Last week I was in South Dakota to “kick-off” a graduate certificate program for clergy co-sponsored by Dakota Wesleyan University and the Dakotas and Minnesota Conference of the United Methodist ...Read More

Philanthropy has to do with living so that everyone around us flourishes. Such a person was my grandmother. My grandmother was born in 1881; she lived to be 107. She came from a family of farme...Read More

In his classic text on communication theory my good friend Em Griffin uses three game metaphors to illustrate what interpersonal communication is, and is not: bowling, ping-pong, charades.[i] Think ab...Read More

I received a fine review and endorsement of my book Kitchen Table Giving from Adam J. Copeland, Director of the Center for Stewardship Leaders, Luther Seminary. You can a find the entire review here...Read More